Off-duty Coast Guard member rescues 3 people from rip current at Fort Fisher
What started as a normal day at the beach quickly took a turn Sunday at Fort Fisher as beachgoers watched in horror as three men were swept out in a rip current.
Posted — Updated“I could see him start to kind of go under and waving his hands so I looked my sister and I said ‘oh my gosh i think they’re in serious trouble,’” said witness Diana Ricker.
That’s when Ricker’s sister, Jennifer Williamson, who is also a member of the Coast Guard, put down her sunglasses and jumped into action.
“My adrenaline just took over… my training that I had with Coast Guard is what got me where I needed to go to help them,” Williamson said.
She borrowed a boogie board and let the current take her toward the three men.
By the time she reached the first victim, he was having trouble keeping his head above the water. He looked like he was fearful for his life, Williamson said.
"I said ‘You’re gonna be fine, don’t worry, you’re gonna be OK,'" she said.
Even while off-duty, she embodied the coast guard’s famous motto: “Always Ready.”
“I just did what I would do any other day in uniform or not in uniform,” said Williamson.
Related Topics
• Credits
Copyright 2024 WECT. All rights reserved.
